Pot and pan cleaner



May 5, 1931 u. s. G. wELsH 1,804,246

POT AND PAN CLEANER Filed Aug. 16, 1928 H .l/5565, .5.' 6I Welsh ATroRNEY Patented May 5, 1931 recaen amena nrt-#ca POT AND AN CLEANER Application led August A16, 1928; erial No. 800,089.

My invention relates to a cleaning device for pots and pans of a form to be operated and controlled while held in the hand of the user.

Thegeneral object of my invention is to provide a hand-controlled device for the indicated purpose of novel form and arrangement, and characterized by an external shell having a surface formed of cleaning material such as metal wool, for example, and

, having an internal container for liquid soap or equivalent detergent, and adapted to be revolved when being used to cause the detergent to exude to the external cleaning surface under centrifugal force.

The nature of my invention and the distinguishing features 1n which the invention resides, as well as their advantages, will clearly appear as the description proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of one example of the invention.

Figure 1 isa perspective view of a pot and pan cleaner embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the pot and pan cleaner;

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is adetail in section as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

My invention comprises a cleaning head and a handle with driving means to give revoluble movement to the cleaning head while` held in the hand and while being manipulated in the operation of cleaning pots and pans.

In the illustrated example showing a practical embodiment of the invention, I provide a substantially rigid shell 10 the forward end of which is in the form of a truncated cone to provide a broad front cleaning end surface 11, as well as a tapered body round in cross section as indicate at 12 in Figure 1.

Within the shell 10 and preferably coaxial therewith is a holder 13 for liquid soap or theA outwardly of the contents of said holder 13. Within the shell 10 and surrounding the holder 13 is l suitable absorbent material, preferably sponge, 14.

The shell 10 is made separate from the holder 13, but means is provided when the shell is in place and with the holder therein to hold both in fixed relation so that the cleaning head turns with the turningof the shell and in unison with the holder 13. For the stated purpose use is made of the following supporting means for the holder 13 Aand securing means for the shell 10. Thus the shell 10 has a central opening at the rear or upper end and extendin about the opening is a forwardly directe annular flange 15 which terminates in an inwardly directed annular bearing flange 16. In the opening of the shell 10 as referred to is fitted a closure cap or plu 17 having a forwardly directed ange 18 which has external threadsengaging internal threads on the forwardly directed annular flange 15.

A closure 17 is formed rigid with the forward end of a-shaft 19 for giving revoluble movement to the cleaning head. The arrangement is such that shell 10 may be screwed onto the ange 18 of closure 17 until the forward end of said flange 18 comes to a bearing against the ilange 16 on the shell. The soap holder 13 is made fast at its rear or largest end to the ange 18 to be emplaced and removed with the placing and removal of the closure 17. The assemblage as described provides for the convenient insertion and removal of the absorbent material 14.

The external cleaning material desitgnated generally by the numeral 112 is pre erably separate from the shell 10 and comprising the front end surface 11 as well as the lateral cleaning surface 12 on the body is made removable looking toward renewal thereof when worn out and the placing of new material thereon. The cleaning material may be formed of a felted substance, such as steel wool. The invention, however, is notconlined to such material, as a fabric may be utilized. The -material is in the form of a shell and conforms to the shell 1U to form covering therefor is formed with a. hole 20,.

` so that said material 112 presents an annular edge portion 21 which overlaps the plug 17. y It will be understood that the material, either felted or fabric, may be stretched over the shell and retained by the disk or flange 23, and when released therefrom may be readily removed over theshell, due to the stretching characteristics of the material, as will be hereinafter pointed out. To clam the material 112 firmly in place on the she l (see Fi re 2) I provide a nut or internall threaded 22 on a clamp disc or flange 3 by means of which the edge portion 21 of the material 112 is clamped between flange 23 and the surface of the closure 17. The threads of the nut 22 engage threads 24 on shaft 19 adjacent to the closure 17, so that by turning back or loosening the nut 22 the closure disc 23 will free the edge portion 21 of the material 112. and permit the removal and renewal of the cleaning material.

, A handle 25 is provided on the shaft 19, and said handle is provided-with a bushing 26 flan ed at the ends as at 27. Front and rear co ars 28 and 29 are held by set screws 30 to the shaft 19 for holding the handle 25 against longitudinal displacement while permitting the turning of shaft -19 with the handle 25 while said handle is held in the hand of the user.

The shell 10 is formed wth perforations 31 at the sides and front through which the soap in the holder 13 finds outlet to the surface material 112. The shaft 19 is driven by any suitable means, there being shown for thepurposes of illustration a fiexible shaft 32 connected with the rear end of said shaft 19.

A device constructed substantially as described when in use is' manipulated by the user graspin the handle`l25 and causing the flexible sha 32 to be driven from any convenient source of power (not shown). With the driving of the flexible shaft 32 and with it the rigid shaft section 19 held b 'the surrounding handle 25, the closure p ug 17 will also turn and with it the clamp disc 23., The arrangement is such that the complete cleaning head includes the shell 10, the soap holder 13, the closure plug 17, the cleaningmaterial 112 and the clam disc 21 all revolving as a unit.

The revolving of the cleaning head causes the soap or other detergent in the holder 13 to move outwardly by centrifugal' force to and through the absorbent material 14, and thence through outlet perforations 31 to the cleaning material 112, so that the blunt front end 11 and tapering sides 12 of the cleaning material 112 will be kept supplied with soap. The sides of the head and front thereof are brought against the bottom of a pot or pan and against the sides thereof, the material' serving by the application ofthe detergent and by abrasion to thoroughly clean the pot or pan.

.. The soap holder 13 is filled through an 17. The closure 33 is pivoted as at 35- l plu to dgjsc 17 and has an operating finger notch 36 in the illustrated example. After the disc 23 has been lifted following the turning of nut 22, and when the closure 34 is swung on its pivot 35 away from the inlet 33 soapmay be supplied to holder 13.

I would state furthermore that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since, manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the ap ended claims.

claim:

1. A 1pot and pan cleaner including a substantia y rigid perforated shell, separate abrasive material' removably carried upon the surface of said shell, a ervious detergent holder arranged within and spaced from said shell and coaxial therewith, absorbent material between said shell and deter ent holder; and means for rotating said s ell and detergent holder.

2. In a pot and pan cleaner, a hollow perforated shell a shaft forv rotating said shell, separate abrasive material removably carried by said shell and secured thereto by a securing flange associated with said shaft, a conical detergent holder removably positioned throu h said shell, said detergent holder being armed of mesh material whereby a detergent therein may iiow through said shell to said abrasive material, and absorbent material within said shell between said holder and said shell to retard the flow of detergent from said holder.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 15th day of August, A. D. 1928.

ULYSSES S. G. WELSH. 

